In the past, the so-called Film Days have had a long tradition of bringing together the cream of Hungarian cinematographers and film professionals. After fifteen years, filmmakers met again in the Korda Filmpark in Etyek to create a tradition.
The aim of the Film Day, held on 5 June at the Korda Filmpark in Etyek, was to raise awareness of the latest innovations in the film industry and to revive an old but all the more important forum.
The studio centre, which was also the location for Hellboy and The Borgias, among others, hosted not filming or screenings, but presentations on the future of film production and a number of technical innovations.
“Innovation has always been important in the film industry. The Hungarian film industry has so far won 4 Oscars in the scientific and technical category, but several Hungarian film professionals have also contributed to the film industry reaching such heights. We only have to think of George Sugar or the eponym of the venue, Sándor Korda”, said Balázs Bokor, President of the Hungarian Hollywood Council in his opening speech.
President of the Hungarian Cinematographers Association (HCA) and Béla Balázs Award-winning cinematographer Gábor Szabó stressed the importance of the meeting.
As he said, there used to be a long tradition of professional days, where cinematographers would meet for several days to learn about the latest innovations.
“In my generation, the film factory was the hub of everyone who worked in the film industry. We didn’t know then what a great gift it was to meet in person every day and get to know each other. Unfortunately, the profession is in tatters and there is no central place for colleagues to come together. Today’s event is also a missing link, and it would be great if representatives of other film professions could join the initiative”, added Gábor Szabó.
At the event, participants were also able to learn about a new lighting technology without DMX cables, as well as the versatility of the Arri Alexa 35, also known as the “new yoke horse” of filmmaking. At the event, Árpád Zsolt Varga presented CinProCaS, a Hungarian-developed film production and design software.
“I’ve been working on this programme for about three years now, which not only shortens preparation time but also reduces production costs. Vilmos Zsigmond says that he used to spend 4 hours just on lighting before the shoot, and by the time the shoot started, he had been on his feet for several hours. With this software, I can create the lighting plan in advance, load the layout of the location, place the actors, lights and cameras, and even specify the lens I plan to use and send it to the crew to prepare the shoot based on the plan,” said Árpád Zsolt Varga.
CinProCaS is under continuous development to better serve the needs of the film industry and will soon be able to help make films in Hungary, following several projects abroad.
“There is a film in development where I would like to try CinProCaS, but I think that besides the thorough preparation and communication with the whole crew, there is a third area where it has a lot of potential, and that is education. CinProCaS encourages you to prepare your work very thoroughly, because without it it is very difficult to make a film today,” said Tamás Babos, Béla Balázs Award-winning Hungarian cinematographer.
János Vecsernyés shares a similar view on the potential of CinProCaS.
“It’s definitely something that needs to be tried out. It remains to be seen where it will fit in the technological chain, but I can imagine that everyone will use it in a slightly different way, tailored to their own needs. And I think it could also help the students of the SZFE”, added the Béla Balázs Award-winning cinematographer-director and SZFE (University of Theatre and Film Arts Budapest) teacher.
At the event, all participants received a copy of the book Hollywood’s Famous Hungarians, courtesy of the Hungarian Hollywood Council. Seeing the success of the event, the organisers expressed their belief that the Film Day will be held again in 2024.
CinProCaS – and its sister program FilmProCaS, optimized for commercials, music videos and documentaries – are now available on Google Play and AppStore, and can also be downloaded from the program’s website.
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